IF CONDITIONALS

 Second conditional

The second conditional is used to talk about

imaginary present situations with a result in the
present or future.

If + past simple, would + inf

 If I knew the answer, I would tell you.

 If I didn’t have to work this afternoon, I would
come with you to the beach.

 Third conditional
The third conditional is used to talk about an
imaginary past situation and its result in the past.

If + past perfect (had + pp) , would + have + pp

 If I had known about the meeting, I would have

been present.
  If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have missed my
flight.

 Mixed conditionals 1
To talk about an imaginary past situation and its
imaginary result in the present.

If + past perfect (had + pp), would/could/might + inf

Here we are describing an imaginary past situation

and its result or consequence in the present. If we had
acted differently in the past, we would be in a
different situation right now, in the present.

 If we had left earlier, we would be there by now.

The reality is we didn’t leave earlier, so we are not

there yet.

Let’s have a look at some more examples.

 If you had behaved yourself in class, you wouldn’t

be sitting in detention right now.

The child behaved badly in the past and is

experiencing a consequence in the present.

We would enjoy a wonderful meal if we had

remembered to buy the ingredients.
We forgot to buy the ingredients, so we are not currently
eating a nice meal.

 Mixed conditionals 2
To talk about an imaginary present situation and its
imaginary result in the past.

If + past simple, would/could/might + have + pp

With this mixed conditional we are talking about an
imaginary past result based on a present unreal
situation. Let’s look at some examples of this.

 If I didn’t have a fear of spiders, I would have

picked it up.
The reality is that I am scared of spiders, so I didn’t
pick it up. In my conditional sentence I am
describing how things could have been different in
the past based on a general truth or fact.

Remember, with conditionals we can begin with

the if (condition) clause, or we can begin with the
result clause. If we begin with the if clause, we
need to use a comma. We don’t need to use a
comma if we begin with the result clause.

 If he had stronger arms, he could have lifted that

weight.
 He wasn’t able to lift the weight as his arms are not
strong enough.

 If I were a fan, I would have got concert tickets

when they went on sale last month.
I am not a fan, so I didn’t buy tickets.
 He would have eaten the cake if he wasn’t on a
diet.
He is on a diet, so he didn’t eat the cake.

Second cond. Third cond. Mixed cond. 1 Mixed cond. 2

if we didn’t hate if we hadn’t hated if we hadn’t hated If we didn’t hate
each other, she each other, she each other, she each other, she
would tell me would have told me would tell me would have told
about her about her wedding about her wedding me about her
wedding party. party. party. wedding party.
If I were serious, I If I had been If I had been If I were serious, I
would have a job serious, I would have serious, I would would have had a
at NASA. had a job at NASA. have a job at NASA. job in NASA.
If Anne wasn’t If Anne hadn’t been If Anne hadn’t If Anne wasn’t
lazy, she would be lazy, she would have been lazy, she lazy, she would
athletic. been athletic. would be athletic. have been
athletic
If they were rich, If they had been rich, If they had been If they were rich,
they would live in they would have lived rich, they would they would have
a palace. in palace. live in a palace. lived in a palace.